The Rebellion
by TheStoryChoosesTheWriter
Summary: Sequel to Death Princess, please read that first. A lot more fluff, angst, action and relationship complications ready yourself for a boat load of feels! cover art by tumblr user viria.
1. Always and forever

**Hello dear readers! I'm back with the sequel. I'm warning you now, I plan on trying my best to make this incredibly angsty (but there will always be a huge side helping of fluff) I hope this is as well accepted as the first one was, happy reading x**

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Chapter 1: Always and Forever

Layla Harris sat in the darkest corner of the Hades cabin at Camp Half-Blood. And that was a _very_ dark corner. Her long black hair shrouded her slim figure in an extra veil of darkness, hiding her from the world around her but not shielding her from her many problems. Nico Di Angelo paced the dark wooden floor of the cabin, running his hand through his floppy black hair in frustration; he wasn't one to easily become stressed but these were stressful times for the children of Hades. Thalia Grace, the only person in the room who wasn't a child of Hades (though if it weren't for her eyes she could certainly pass for one), sat uncomfortably on the edge of one of the dark oak four post beds, her eyes nervously following Nico as he paced back and forth.

"Nico," Thalia said, trying to get his attention. Nico continued pacing and muttering under his breath. "Nico!"

His head snapped up. "What?" he asked, finally standing still and giving her his full attention, somewhat.

"Isn't it a good thing that Jason – and me for that matter – don't actually know what these mystery plans are?"

"But now we know that Zeus is suspicious. Now Jason will most definitely go to Zeus and confirm that there are, in fact, plans that have been made, even if he doesn't know what they are."

Layla finally looked up and allowed herself to become visible for the first time since she'd kicked Jason out. "Now that Zeus knows that we're definitely involved in Hades' plans he won't let us leave camp to carry it out. Then Hades will be mad at us," she stopped to stifle a sob. "And it's not like this _stupid _plan is our only problem right now. To be perfectly honest with you, I think it's actually the _least _of our problems."

Nico and Thalia, being unable to think of anything comforting to say in response, just looked at her sympathetically and watched as the shadows began to ripple around her until they seemed to consume her and she was no longer visible.

"Leo can't be mad at you forever, Layla," Nico muttered, though he knew his words would provide very little comfort to his little sister.

A gentle knock at the door made Layla come out of the shadows for a split second until Annabeth's head appeared and the shadows swallowed her up again.

"Hey," Annabeth muttered, raising her hand in an awkward wave. She looked around the cabin until her eyes landed on Nico, her brow creased in confusion. "Where's Layla... I thought she'd be here."

"She is," Nico said, gesturing to the corner she was curled up in. "She's hiding."

"Hiding from what?" Annabeth asked,

"The world," Nico shrugged. "Let's just say you're not the person she was hoping would walk through that door."

Understanding flashed across Annabeth's face. "Right. Leo," she muttered.

Muffled sounds of crying came from the corner where Layla was, earning Annabeth an annoyed glare from Nico. "She _just stopped _crying," he whispered.

"Sorry," Annabeth said to both Nico and Layla. "I came to see how you were doing, Layla. I thought you might need a friend."

Layla stood up and allowed herself to become visible again. "I'm sorry Annabeth... you're my best girlfriend... actually my _only _girlfriend... but right now I need my _best friend _and he hates me."

"Oh, Layla," Annabeth sighed, stepping forward and pulling her friend into a hug. "Leo doesn't hate you; he's just worried about Piper, that's all."

Layla sniffed and angrily wiped away the tears that were still rolling down her cheek. "I'm sorry. I'm just being stupid, it's just Leo. I shouldn't be crying over him, I'm just being stupid." She gave a humorless laugh and then lashed out, breaking anything she could that was within reach, much like she had when she had first gone to the Underworld. "It's all Piper's fault! She deserved what she got and now she's got Leo wrapped around her little finger!"

Nico grabbed the tops of her arms and held her still until she stopped struggling, much like he'd done in the Underworld- suffice to say, he was used to dealing with her rapid mood swings by now. "Layla. You're upset. I get that; just don't do anything you'll regret."

Layla melted into a bout of tears, a small art of her brain scolding her for acting like a stupid teenager (even though she was one). "You mean don't do anything _else _I'll regret," she corrected him through her tears.

Nico pulled her into his arms and calmed her down until she was only sniffling again. "We can fix this, Layla. You haven't lost Leo forever. Don't give in to your fatal flaw, Layla. Piper's done nothing wrong and we'll figure out a way to fix her."

"I'll help you with that," Annabeth said.

"Me too," Thalia agreed reluctantly; she had yet to warm to Layla but she just wanted her to stop crying- waterworks made her uncomfortable.

Layla gave a watery smile. "I don't deserve friends like you. I don't deserve any of you."

"Well if it makes you feel any better, I spied on you for the whole time I've known you up until now."

Layla laughed. "Maybe I deserve a friend like you then," she tried to joke but her voice trailed off and cracked because joking just reminded her of her situation with Leo.

"Okay," Annabeth said, clapping her hands together, easily taking charge. "First things first, you should apologize to Piper. Tell her everything and that you're going to do everything you can to fix it."

"What if Leo's there?" she asked uncertainly.

"Well then he'll be able to hear your apology too," Thalia offered.

"I don't do apologies," Layla mumbled stubbornly.

"I think you can make an exception this one time," Nico said, leading her toward the door.

Layla nodded and allowed herself to be pushed out of the safe embrace of the cabin. "Will you come with me?" she asked.

Nico grabbed her hand protectively. "You're my sister, Layla. I'll be there for you when you need me. Always and forever."

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**This would be a moment of fluff but don't be lulled into a false sense of security after a bucket load of fluff there will be angst... **

**TheGoddessIsAlive: I'm glad you liked Death princess, I hope you took the time to read this and enjoyed it just as much :)**

**Nightlock64: hang in there, I might get a little Nicoxrachel in this one... I never really thought about them together until you mentioned it.**

**Nyx811: Thank you, hope you liked this chapter :)**

**neofly : This is the update on Death Princess but you couldn't expect a sequel straight after the first one! hope you enjoyed this chapter**

**reviews make me very happy and motivate me to write more so please review please thank you**

**PM me and we can fangirl over how HOH is coming out very soon ZSDFGHJKL!**


	2. Help

**Sorry for the wait! hopefully the next chapter will be up sooner. I know chiron is a little OOC in this chapter but to be honest, he doesn't show up that much and I can't really be bothered to change it. **

**more reviews will make me more bothered so... yeah... *hint, hint***

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Chapter 2: Help

Thalia watched as Nico stared intently at the unnaturally dark corner of the Hades cabin. He'd been staring at it ever since he and his sister had returned from their futile attempt to make things right between Layla, Leo and Piper. Of course Leo and Piper understood that it was an accident but, riddled with the pain of watching loved ones suffer, neither of the two wanted anything to do with either child of Hades.

Nico took in a deep breath and abruptly stood up, making Thalia jump as no one in the cabin had done so much as fiddle with their hair for the longest of time. He walked over to the dark corner and made a movement as if to grab someone's arm - Layla's arm. "You can't hide in that corner forever, Layla," he said as he pulled his sister out of her fortress of shadows.

Layla struggled against her brother's grip on her wrist. "I can do what I want, Nico!" she snapped but Nico wouldn't let go of her.

"I won't let you mope around just because Leo won't talk to you. We're going to fix this," Nico replied, matching Layla's venomous tone.

"What if I don't want to help her?" Layla asked. "What if all I want to do is sit in that corner and not do anything for the rest of my life? Piper deserves what she got and now she's got Leo so everyone's happy."

"I don't think that's what you really want though," Thalia said gently. Layla fixed her with the best death glare that she could muster, finally broke away from Nico and retreated back to her corner. "If looks could kill," Thalia muttered under her breath.

"Don't tempt me," Layla muttered making Thalia very uncomfortable; for all she knew, children of Hades just might be able to kill you with a look if they wanted it enough.

"Fine," Nico said. "Hide in that corner for the rest of your life! You won't be able to hide forever though."

"Try me," Layla snapped back.

Slowly, Thalia stood up and walked toward the door. "I suppose I better get going... um... the chariot thing's still on and I should... go and help Percy and Annabeth..."

"Ugh, for the love of Olympus! How could we forget the chariot? We're working with Leo on that... that's not going to be too pretty," Layla groaned, feeling a whole new wave of frustration. Thalia gave an apologetic shrug and reached out to open the door. But before she could, the door opened itself and Chiron wheeled into the cabin in human form.

"Chiron!" Nico exclaimed. He knew it would only have been a matter of time before Chiron stopped ignoring everything that was happening and tried to put things right himself, but in the midst of everything, an angry Chiron wasn't really on his list of things to worry about. Until now.

"Yeah..." Thalia said awkwardly. "I was just... leaving..."

"Bye," Nico replied as he sat down on his bed and braced for impact.

"Do you know anything about what happened to Miss McLean?" Chiron asked calmly.

Nico briefly considered putting on his usual charade of innocence and denying everything but then he thought that maybe Chiron could help. Besides, the alternative would be to go to his father and that would probably be worse for both his and his sister's health considering his father's temper. The God of the Underworld didn't promote a lenient nature. With a sigh he sank into full story mode. "Layla and I," he began hesitantly, "took a trip to the Underworld where our father explained a few of Layla's... abilities.

"Apparently she has the ability to curse people. He said to me, before I brought her there, that with practice, she could be the strongest demigod in our entire history. So he told me to train her and I did," Nico became defensive as Chiron's face crumpled into that of repressed disgust. "What did you expect me to do? Ignore my father's orders? He told me that he can bring my mother back. That he'll bring back Bianca!"

"The God of the Underworld shouldn't be trusted, Nico," Chiron said calmly. "Even if he is your father. Zeus has prohibited communication between gods and demigods."

"What makes you think my father, or me for that matter, care about Zeus' stupid rules?" Nico scoffed. "I just want my family back!"

"And where does Layla stand in all of this?"

Chiron jumped slightly when darkness rippled through the room, even extinguishing the Greek fire temporarily and Layla made her presence in the room known. "Do you want to know where I stand in all of this Chiron? I don't _care_." Layla exclaimed, fresh tears rolling down her cheek, she quickly wiped them away, annoyed by her inability to hide weakness. "All of this," she gestured around herself. "My entire life is just one big sob story and I just want it to stop! This stupid _power _I have has brought nothing but pain into my life," as she spoke, darkness swirled around the room in a silent whirlwind, creating the exact effect Layla wanted. Fear. "If you think I want any of this you can think again. I just want a normal life with friends and family. But instead I have this screwed up _destiny _and it's cost me my family and now my best friend. If I do what Hades wants me to do, I can at least get my family back. Nico can get his family back and everyone will be happy." She took a step toward Chiron, towering over him thanks to the fact that he was in his wheelchair. "But if anyone gets in my way I won't hesitate to do to them what I did to Piper." She bit her tongue to stop herself from adding 'or worse' to the end of her sentence.

"Layla," Nico said. "You're just upset. You don't mean that. Chiron might be able to help us to cure Piper."

"What if I don't want to cure her?" Layla snapped.

"I know you do. Despite everything, she's your friend. If not for Piper, do it for Leo. Do it for me."

Layla sighed. "Well?" she looked pointedly at Chiron, the darkness still spreading around the room but slower now. "Can you help Piper?"

"No one can help Piper but you, Layla," Chiron said. "But I can show you how."

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**Please don't write Layla off as the bad guy! Okay, take it how you will but if you're going to see her as the baddie you've got to keep in mind that she is a child of hades so she's gonna be temperamental and I guess I just find it fun as a writer to see what I can do with that... lemme know your thoughts in a review! **

**Nightlock64: thank you :) What can I say? I'm a very cheesy person. I'll try to mix it up a little; it won't all be buckets of fluff. That sort of stuff is reserved only for the one to three shots that people read at 1am.**

**Irisa0816: thanks for the review :)**

**Rachel Roth-Grayson: you have no idea how much that means to me. I'm serious I almost crying please stop o my goodness I love you (please carry on) xx**


	3. Cursed

**I told you the next chapter would be up sooner, didn't I :) **

**thanks tto my wonderful Beta, Fantasy137. If you haven't read her stuff a=go and read them because I told you to. and they're really good.**

**enjoy!**

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Chapter 3: Cursed

Piper sat on her bed, curled in the fetal position. The rest of the Aphrodite cabin had soon enough realized that their presence wasn't doing their sister any favors and so they had made it their duty to find something else, anything else, to do outside of the cabin for as long as they could. Leo however, refused to leave and instead sat next to his best friend reassuring her that everything was alright.

"But they died, Leo!" Piper sobbed. "I saw them..._you _died..."

Leo shook his head. "Nobody's dead, Pipes. It's the curse. Layla cursed you."

"Don't blame Layla, Leo. I provoked her, she... she didn't mean it."

"Yeah but she didn't warn us about what she could do! If she'd just told everyone the truth you wouldn't have said what you did and then this wouldn't be happening!" Leo exclaimed. "I thought we were best friends but best friends tell each other everything."

Piper looked up as if to defend Layla more but then her expression melted into one of horrified shock. "LEO! Leo?! Oh gods, Leo talk to me, oh gods, there's so much blood!"

With calm and practiced movements, Leo gripped Piper's shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. He'd dealt with this probably a hundred times a day since Layla had cursed her. "Pipes, Pipes look at me, I'm fine, see. There's no blood. It's just the curse."

Finally, Piper stopped shaking and her eyes became un-glazed. She took a deep breath and slumped into Leo's arms. "Oh thank the gods, I thought... do you think they'll get better with time?"

"I don't know," Leo shrugged. "I'll try to fix you, Pipes. I'm the Repair Boy after all," he said with a wink.

Piper playfully hit his arm. "You and I both know you only understand machines. You can't fix me."

Leo fixed his friend with the most serious look he'd ever given. "I said I'd try to fix you, Pipes. I promise."

"You know I don't like promises, Leo."

"That prophecy's over and done with now, you don't have to worry about 'an oath to keep with a final breath' anymore."

Piper nodded. "I know but I've watched you fake-die like ten times today so, just don't promise me anything, 'kay?"

"Fine," Leo sighed. "I'll go and get us some food... will you be okay while I'm gone?"

"I think so."

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"Leo!" Annabeth called as she saw Leo coming out of the Aphrodite cabin.

"Hey Annabeth," he smiled.

"How's Piper?" she asked.

"Not great," he replied.

"You know Layla and Nico are going to do everything they can to fix her. Chiron is helping them," Annabeth said. Then she hesitantly added, "You could just accept her apology and move on with your life. I didn't take you as one to hold a grudge."

Leo sighed. "I'm not one to hold a grudge... I just... I really trusted Layla and she went and lied to me... And I don't think she's... _good_... anymore... something changed in her that night and I don't like it."

"What do you mean?" Annabeth asked.

Leo shrugged. "I don't know... I just feel like something snapped in her and there's no getting her back."

"Then why aren't you trying?!" Annabeth exclaimed. "She's your _best friend_, Leo!"

"She _was _my best friend. Just like Jason _was _my best friend. But Piper _is _my best friend and since she's the only one who's never let me down, I can't let _her _down."

Annabeth sighed in defeat. "Fine, go ahead and be like that. But there's nothing you can do for Piper. Layla's the one that really needs you. You said you don't think she's good anymore? Maybe you should help her find her good side again before she slips away forever."

Leo knew that Annabeth was talking sense, when didn't she? But he just couldn't leave Piper alone to deal with the curse. "I just want to get some food, Annabeth. Stop telling me how to live my life." After that he stormed toward the dining hall but Annabeth's words flew around in his head like hornets for the rest of the day. Layla did need him and he wasn't being a good friend. He was holding a grudge and that just wasn't him. He'd have to do something about it... why did Annabeth always have to be right?

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**There are no reviews to thank you for! :( please review, even if it's bad (but constructive!) so I know what you think and what I can do to make it better.**


	4. Friends

**Sorry for the wait guys. Well I say sorry but I'll probably make you wait a long time for the next chapter too. I'm evil like that... just stick with me. Please?**

**thanks as always to my beta, fantasy137**

**happy reading!**

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Chapter 4: Friends

"For the love of Olympus, Annabeth!" Layla exclaimed as the blonde daughter of Athena dumped yet another pile of books in front of her. "There's nothing in these books that'll help; Chiron is coaching me on what I need to do..."

"But there's more to it, Layla, I know it... it might be in these books, we just have to look hard enough," Annabeth retorted, a spark entering her eyes at the thought of tedious research.

"There is more than what Chiron can tell us," Nico confirmed. "But it's not in any books."

Just then, Thalia wandered into the Hades cabin, covered in wood chips and paint from her time helping Percy build the chariot. "I swear to the gods, Annabeth, if you make me work on that chariot with your boyfriend for so much as one more second, I'll..." her threat was cut short as she caught the serious expressions on everyone's faces. "How's the search for a cure going?" she asked timidly.

"Apparently Chiron doesn't know everything we need to and the rest isn't in these books," Annabeth replied sourly.

"Do you know where you can find it out?" Thalia asked.

Nico and Layla shared a tense look before nodding their heads solemnly.

"Well please, share," Annabeth said impatiently.

Nico sighed. "Hades will know."

"Then why haven't you been to see him already?!" Annabeth asked.

"Because everyone knows what I can do... he told us to keep it secret..."

"And you're scared," Annabeth finished Layla's sentence.

Both Nico and Layla nodded sheepishly.

"You shouldn't be," Thalia said. "Trust me; I know what it's like to be scared of your godly parent... but you're important in this plan of his so Hades isn't going to hurt you."

Nico shrugged. "I know he wouldn't hurt us. He actually does just want what's best for us. But he also wants what's best for him and that's why I'm scared..." Layla nodded her agreement.

From then on, nobody knew what to say. They stood in silence until there was a knock at the door.

"Come in Chiron," Nico said.

The door opened slowly but the person who entered was not Chiron. Layla stared wide-eyed as her former best friend shuffled into the cabin. "Leo," she said in a shocked and strangled voice.

Leo gave a sheepish half-smile and gave an awkward wave. "Hey Layla..." he looked as though he wanted to say more but didn't know how to start.

"Leo I'm really sorry we're doing all we can to..."

Leo put a hand up to stop Layla from dissolving into a blubbering mess. "I know... Annabeth talked some sense into me... Piper's managing; I can't help her... but I can help you..."

"I don't need..." Layla began.

"You do need my help, Death Princess," Leo grinned as he caught Layla trying to fight a smile. "We still have a chariot race to win."

Layla was still fighting a smile. "Don't you think we have bigger problems to focus on?"

"No way am I losing to Percy, Annabeth and Thalia, Lays. Everything bigger than this can wait..." he paused and then added with a smile, "I missed hanging out with you."

Layla finally let herself smile for the first time since that awful morning when everything had fallen apart and ran up to Leo. "I missed hanging out with you too Leo," she said as she hugged him.

Nico couldn't help but smile at the sight of his little sister finally being happy, but he knew that he would have to be the sensible one in all of this, as he always was. "Well while you two catch up and float around in your bubble of love, I suppose I'll go and get the answers we need."

"Nico you can't go there alone!" Layla exclaimed.

"No it's fine," Nico insisted, "You two work on the chariot, and then we can kill two birds with one stone, so to speak."

"Are you sure?" Layla asked. Nico nodded. "You be careful," she cautioned.

"I can handle the Underworld Lays," Nico assured her, happy that he could finally use her nickname without her grimacing. He hugged her and then shadow travelled away.

"What are you smiling for?" Leo asked. "You hate being called Lays!"

Layla just shook her head, unable to stop smiling. "It grew on me, I suppose. Now come on, let's go work on that chariot."

Thalia and Annabeth followed Layla and Leo out of the cabin. "We'll go and find Percy," Annabeth said, grabbing Thalia's wrist.

"Ok, bye," Layla waved over her shoulder as she and Leo walked off to Bunker 9 where Leo had been working on their chariot.

The once dusty and run-down workshop had been completely changed into the high-tech workshop it had previously been. Standing in the middle of the room was a chariot like no other.

The chariot itself was painted black with specks of bright orange and was made of reinforced metal that Leo assured Layla wouldn't get so much as a scratch unless a meteor fell on it. The wheels were rigged with as many weapons as Leo could manage to compress and fit into them. There was an eerie atmosphere around it that would make even the bravest of demigods back away. Leo explained that this was courtesy of Nico summoning some ghosts that were quite good at mechanics to help him build it, and he had Hazel make it possible for him and children of Hades to be able to approach it using the magic she'd learnt from Hecate (sort of) on the quest to the House of Hades.

"Oh my gods, Leo!" Layla gasped. "How did you do that all by yourself?"

Leo shrugged. "Hey you're looking at the guy who designed and built the Argo II single-handedly." He paused and then added, "Technically. And I did have help from a few ghosts... that, uh... that wasn't my idea..."

Layla nodded, understanding how it must have been strange working with dead people, she'd been uncomfortable with it when she'd first started training with Nico and she was a child of the Underworld. "What's left to add?"

"Well we need to choose a horse still... I'm guessing Chiron won't let us use a hellhound... I'd get a little freaked if that happened."

Layla nodded. "Yeah I get it. It's just, I don't really like the Pegasus' and they don't really like me."

Leo patted her back comfortingly. "Hey, worst case scenario, I build us a horse."

"That doesn't sound too bad," Layla grinned. "While we're in the race I'll be able to pull darkness over us so they'll never see us coming."

Leo returned the grin and then handed Layla a paintbrush. "Well that's that. Let's add some finishing touches, shall we?"

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**hope you liked it! tell me what you think in a REVIEW! II like reviews and it was my birthday yesterday so it can be a birthday present? *hopeful smile***

**Irisa0816: Yes, being a daughter of Athena, Annabeth is very rarely wrong. Thank you for the cookies! here, I made you some in return- (::) (::) (::) (::) - they're probably not as good as yours though :D** **Nightlock64: It's good to know I have loyal readers :) I think Nico knows that even Hades can't bring people back but he wants to believe it so much so that he's putting all his faith into that empty promise from his father.** **keep reading guys! I love all of you x**


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